By TZ
Copyright March 1, 2022
Legal Disclaimers:
Characters and backstory from Xena: Warrior Princess are the property of Renaissance/MCA/Studios USA. No copyright infringement is intended. Mentions of Wonder Woman are property of DC.
This is an original work of alternative fan fiction. No profit will be gained from its production. It was written for entertainment purposes only. This piece of fiction is copyright of the author.
Content Disclaimers:
If you are not of legal age to read the following or it is illegal where you live, then please exit this page.
Romantic and implied sexual love between consenting adult women.
Author's Notes:
This is it, folks. Basically, it is modern uber. To those that asked if there was going to be more stories to the 'The Way' series, I managed five more. But things come to endings. And this, my friends is what the title is. This is the way of how this ends. Thank you for reading.
This story is heavier on Wolf than anyone. If she was not a favorite, I still nudge you to read this. There are mentions of a touching history and an uber back-story.
Who wants to live forever, Oh ooo oh, There's no chance for us, It's all decided for us, This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us [Queen, 'Who Wants to Live Forever', written by Freddie Mercury]
Oh, and just FYI, the character Wolf was an alter-ego. I don't speak Gaelic or Chinese, but I am somewhat familiar with wheelchairs and therapy. I'll let Aphrodite explain how she read the cards.
Continued from The Way of Generations
The Way of the End
The weather in California changed like it always does. Unlike other natural events, though, this was gentle and nurturing. A light breeze cooly drifted inland off the bay to carry the light rain that watered flowers, weeds and living trees.
A busy stream of traffic hurried between work, home and dinner dates.
The sun had set hours ago and an early riser had already found her evening peacefulness. She was uninterrupted by the silent entry into her bedroom.
Aphrodite watched Artemis, who waved a nimble finger over the nude figure sleeping without the blanket that would have hidden her artistic body. In the dim light cast by an alarm clock, her tapestry of tattoos was barely visible.
A second later, the goddesses relocated to a moon-bathed copse of trees.
"What was that, sis?" Her brow wrinkled, smelling the damp earth that was all around them.
Artemis adjusted the deer-skin bower that was slung over her shoulder, causing the brown arrows inside to rattle. She pointed at them for silence.
"She served me selflessly for 2 millennium, so I have ended her promise. She is free now and her life is hers. Her service to me is completed."
Nodding with her understanding, the goddess of love thought of the immortal demi-god no longer being such. "So this is the end of your alliance?"
The Amazons' patron goddess replied. "Yes."
Thinking of the former immortal, being denied that which had driven her heart in the past, she suspiciously asked, "Does she know that she can die now?"
Artemis took a deep breath and replied, "I haven't told her yet, but I will."
Aphrodite began thinking of her own plans for the now-mortal woman, freed, as she was. She looked at her manicured nails, telling Artemis, "This dirty scene is not mine. I'm going back to Aphrodisias." She had a last thought of Wolf. "Later." With a flick of her fingers, she disappeared, leaving Artemis alone in her peaceful woods.
She had at one time made an agreement with a powerful goddess, to protect them all. And she always fulfilled her agreements.
Wolf had been immortal for about two thousand years now, give or take a day. Living forever. It was not the greatest, watching everyone you love die before you. That song by Queen, she hummed it every so often. Who wants to live forever?
She had started writing a journal on them a long time ago. It had been advised by Queen Gabrielle after the birth of their first granddaughter, Princess Otera.
Being told that Gabrielle and Xena were forever meant to meet and love, Wolf kept track to make sure that the Fates did not cross their lines too closely. The one bounded journal grew to many and began to read like books of religion or mythology. Keeping up with who begat who.
There had been a few cases of true reincarnations that stretched their lines in a healthy way. In those cases, she did not worry that they had fallen in love with someone that they were closely related to in a multi-tiered genealogical sense.
Since she began, though, she had followed couples all over the world. There was the Parisian courtier that made her queen jealous by falling in love with a visiting British Countess of generous means. And of the Arabian horse owner who best knew how to tease and reward the stable hand that was hiding his real gender. Wolf's journal entry on that active couple, was quite detailed.
In America, both North and South, she discovered a criminal, her retributions and the law that spent years trying to punish her, but fell in love and absconded with her.
She had been in St. Petersburg when Xena and Gabrielle had reincarnated in the United States. She had lost her chance to see them again then.
Her books detailed the meetings and their marriages, childbirths and unfortunately, deaths.
In the north, she documented New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and so many cities seen, large and small. When the couples were successful, she moved on. Keeping up with both society pages and endless searching of social accounts, she managed to find many of them.
Currently, she was in San Francisco after finding another descendent.
0500, Commander Wolf Armaugh snagged a donut as she passed by the desks of the vice detectives. She saw their finished shift reports and collected them. Holding them under her arm, she took a long drink of coffee after a bite of a stale donut. Squeezing the folders between her fingers, she dropped the old breakfast sweet into an office garbage can.
She was thinking that coffee made at home always beat station made. She raised her capped travel cup at a young officer, Evelyn Brady Carver. She preferred to go by her middle name, so she answered to Brady. She waved back.
She looked just like someone that Wolf had known and loved a very long time ago. She saw her for the the first time out of uniform while she was training for take down techniques. Brady was stunning. The young officer's long dark hair renewed memories of a time of great happiness. The commander was grateful for her transfer from San Mateo, not too far away.
Later that day, Brady had asked her opinion about how to woo a woman who loved books more than people. Wolf told her to be herself and be honest. Then they found a cafe close to the crush's place of work.
They met up a few days later at that small family coffee shop. She greeted her and thanked her for the large cup of coffee. Depending on the cafe, this was mediocre between home and office.
Brady had met her crush at a local Renaissance Fair the previous week. She had learned her name and gotten her phone number. She called twice. They talked about the Fair and Brady had invited her for some coffee. Now, on time, the crush showed up after jogging. She exercised every day after her work at the local public library.
Wolf was introduced to the librarian upon whom Brady had a heavy crush. When the other woman removed her cap to adjust her blonde hair, Wolf became lost in the days of loving them both.
She had long ago, though, learned how to tame her reactions and feelings. Meeting the Blooded Ones, decendents of Gabrielle and Xena, always did this to her. Any attempt to find her own non-Blooded relationship was always waylaid by the looks and personalities of the descendants.
Gabrielle and Xena were two women with whom she had been bound to in marriage, before the times of man-made laws against it. Placing her hand on her chest, though, she remembered the first one that she had loved even deeper.
When hearing to never tattoo a lover's name on your body, Wolf always laughed. She had memories of her entire family inked on her skin. Whenever she saw her body, she still loved them. Every time.
A sudden thought popped into the officer's head. Brady got excited for a moment and the blonde asked her what was wrong. Just recently learning her name after the Festival, Brady loved how it danced between her lips. "Audrey," she exclaimed then took a deep breath to rein in her energy. "I once read a Wonder Woman book as a kid in the school library. I really liked it. That school closed, though, and I haven't been able to read it again. Can I ask you for help so I can buy a copy?"
The librarian sat to discuss it. "Large hardback that had comic drawings and regular book print?"
"That's it!" Brady happily drummed the table, but stopped. "I'm sorry. You probably like the boring books and not comic books."
Accepting her coffee, Audrey took a drink and thanked the police officer for paying. She shook her head in response. "I have spent more time reading comics than the boring books." She smiled. "I think I have a copy of that book. You can check and borrow it.
I can then introduce you to another writer. I love his character depictions. A somewhat small market guy printed with independent publishers. I can loan you the first three and if you like that story, too, we can always read the whole story together."
Just thinking of spending time with Audrey, Brady jumped on to a possible common interest. "What's that book?"
"They are real comic books. I never bought the actual books of the collected comics. But they are written and drawn by Terry Moore. It's called Strangers in Paradise. I think you might like it."
She wrote her address on her coffee receipt. After folding it, she handed it to Brady. "That's where's I live. You can come by around three o'clock tomorrow and I'll have them all ready for you."
Brady put the receipt in her breast pocket then stood when Wolf waved to get into the car. She was undecided on what to do. Audrey understood her awkward hand movements and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
The officer waved. "I will definitrely see you then." She patted the pocket holding the receipt. She watched the librarian sit back down to drink her coffee with a news paper.
When Brady sat in the car, she could not take her eyes off the blonde, who looked at her and waved.
Wolf pulled onto the road with a smile and a slap to Brady's thigh. "Now, my friend, that was a little geeky and nerdy, but that was a successful wooing. Points for actually mentioning a book that you read and paying for her coffee."
She still always enjoyed seeing the Blooded Ones. She smiled at their successes or victories over bad circumstances. They kept her emotionally alive. The happiness that she knew with the descendants wiped away the losses that she had endured.
She rarely saw her own descendants. The last time she saw any of them, Eponin's last male descendant signed up to fight for the Bolsheviks. She rubbed her brow, thinking of him dying in a risky fight against a Russian royal family.
Eponin, if alive now, would have struck that thought from his head. He was just a child, too young to fight in such a perilous war. She did cry for her wife's last descendant. Modern war was so different than the ancient ways.
They rode to the station and immediately had to diffuse a physical disagreement between city residents over the use of a neighborhood street parking spot. Not seeing a need for jail time, Wolf saw that they agreed to another spot across the same street.
After signing off on that case, she collected the finished shift reports from the vice detectives. With the remainder of the cafe coffee in her hand, she went to her office. She dropped the reports on her desk and sat down to review them. She held a pink highlighter in her right hand as she read the reports. A red pen served as a note writer.
She read that there was a suspicious car that had been seen parked for two nights outside of the office building that rented to the local small businesses. She noted that the lots around the office building had to be patrolled every two hours.
She heard the indicator tone on her phone. Checking, she saw that she was five minutes late to begin the night shift's meeting.
Wolf walked quickly to the meeting room. She took a moment to check the wall clock against her watch while the officers settled for the meeting. Man-made time always seemed to be inaccurate. Or maybe working in a building without a sun reference was the issue.
"Wolf."
Remembering that voice, she pulled the lieutenant to the side and pointed at her notes then waving the notebook at the sitting officers. "Take over please. I have an urgent matter to deal with."
Wolf went back to her office and closed the door. "Yes, Artemis?"
The goddess appeared in her usual earth-tone forest wear. "I need to let you know that you have successfully upheld your agreement with me. I have withdrawn your immortality. As of three nights ago, you started to age and can die like any other mortal with your aging or any fatal event."
Wolf quickly thought. She had never considered dying. She thought of those that she had lost. "When I die, can I meet the Amazons on the Other Side?" Wolf could at first only think of her three wives.
"Yes, but it must be a natural death." Artemis wanted to eliminate any self harm.
That night, Wolf tried to settle for bed, but she could only think of her purpose now. It was coming up empty and void. All she had now was law enforcement work. It had been a long time, doing that. She had no reason to travel, since she had already been around the world.
It seemed that all she had was Brady now.
A few days later, Wolf saw the added dance to Brady's step. "Are you happy?"
No matter how hard she tried to subdue her excitement being able to talk about recent events, she overshared with her superior. "You would not believe it. I read those comics and loved them. I then went back to see Audrey an hour later. We talked all night about the story as we read it beside each other."
Wolf raised her brows. "Are you two girlfriends now?"
"We weren't after reading, but after kissing all night and sleeping together, now we are."
"Who asked who?" Wolf silently placed her bet on Audrey.
"We kind of both did. I think that's what karmic perfection means."
Wolf clasped both of Brady's arms. "I am very excited for you. Really, but at my age and wearing my name tag, I'm not allowed to cheer and jump up and down."
"I think she invited me to live with her."
Wolf chuckled. "Do you need a U-Haul?"
The officer shook her head. "I really don't have much. I can put it in my pick up."
Brady cocked her head. She saw that her Commander was wearing standard officer blues instead of her business wear. "Did you demote yourself?"
Wolf swiped at her officer. "I've missed this uniform." Seeing the time, Wolf told her, "Get sleep when you can with Audrey. Besides, you're off tomorrow. And that is an order."
Four hours later, into the night, Wolf heard the Dispatcher. "Commander, a security alarm went off at 248 Davis, Office 2356."
Misty rain rode the whispered breeze. Two women were standing on the gated roof of a tall office building. They were watching the traffic traveling the dark, wet asphalt. The younger one wiped her palm across her damp hair, instantly drying it. The older one stood under an awning, twirling a dark wine in a heavy, glass goblet.
They were both elegantly dressed, as they had been at a family dinner. The taller one wore a long maroon dress that freely displayed a svelte leg. She rubbed her upper lip before taking an extended drag from her cigarette.
Her companion took a drink of her wine before asking, "I know something is on your mind. What is it?"
Simply answered, "Tabula Rasa."
"What has you thinking of that, daughter?"
Styx looked at her mother before squinting at the equally tall building across Davis Street. She exhaled smoke that was then thinned by the light breeze. With the lesser gods killed during the ancient Greek times, there were few of the titans' children willing to take the reins of control over the mayhem of humans.
The ocean titan knew that there was one immortal human that had been around since before the loss of Zeus, Hera and their children. That woman knew from Xena's stories and her own memory of how those gods were killed.
It was easy to think of her as a danger to the current deities. With the thoughts that became as evil as her nature, Styx flicked her cigarette over the roof gate. Her voice was like a cold liquid darker than the night, "It's our turn now."
Both titans' attention was drawn to the sirens and lights drawing to a sudden stop at the opposite building.
Wolf set her car to park and quickly checked to make sure her body-cam was on before getting out. Office work could be tolerated for only so long. She adjusted the uniform that she hardly wore. The officer reported her status before muting the audio on her radio and fastening it to her squad shirt.
Waving signals to the backup officers to the various entries, she opened the door now broken. This was the only action she had seen for days. She was no longer occupied with following the Blooded Ones. The descendant lines had been her welcomed charge. Artemis had recently, though, taken them from her. Wolf did not know how to act without them.
Meeting up with four other officers, Wolf quietly climbed the stairs to the government accounting office that had been broken into. Silently signaling with a flat hand low to the floor, she sank below the large office windows and scooted to the door. Quickly locating her fellow officers, she signalled, 'proceed'.
The second that the door was opened, the criminal watchouts, armed with handguns, began to fire. Wolf's eyes quickly scanned the action. Then, she saw an unexpected party.
In her new police uniform, Brady Carver launched herself towards the closest gunman. She was an ambitious recruit. Even though she had two years of experience, she was still full of a desire to prove her abilities.
Her gunfire was joined with her commander's. Wolf blindly reached out to push Brady down below the flying bullets. Her voice was loud when commenting "I thought you were at home with Audrey."
Brady shrugged as she non-challantly replied, "She was exhausted and I need the money."
The second that was spared for a look at Brady's cavalier arrogance distracted Wolf. She did not hear the bullet before it was buried into her lower back. Her legs instantly collapsed.
Brady finished the first gunman by injuring his shooting arm shoulder. Once the other officers disabled and restrained the burgalers, she fell to her knees next to Wolf. She was careful to not bump against her. She was about to comment, but heeded the index finger held up.
Pulling her radio free, Wolf called in their status and the requirement for a medical vehicle. "Officer down." She rubbed her eyes as she smelled the burned gunpowder. It was like an acidic boiling effect. Putting a gentle hand on her workmate, she sounded like a mother, "Evelyn Brady Carver, your girlfriend is probably up and worrying about you."
Brady shook her head before recognizing the sounds of the paramedics and moved to get out of their way. As her superior's braced body was carefully slid onto a transfer hoard, Brady followed the paramedics, talking to Wolf. "She sleeps heavy, I doubt she woke up."
Her words proved false when the group exited the tall office building.
With her rigid pacing interrupted, the slender blonde removed the fists that had been rigidly pressed to her hips. "Avvy, why are you on duty? You weren't scheduled." The police scanner had woken her earlier.
Brady stole a quick hug and kiss before pulling away and began paying attention to the lieutenant that was the second in command. He raised a hand at the officers on the scene, discussing the protocols to be followed. Brady watched when the ambulance pulled away to proceed to the hospital.
The arriving emergency had been announced, so a pair of ER workers was ready for Wolf. The officer listened to the paramedics explain her gunshot and their suspicion of a spinal injury. The lead doctor asked the Commander to let them know if she felt her feet. Familiar with the tests, Wolf replied as a nurse took her vitals. Focused on the pain of her bullet wound, she failed to see the nurse's familiar features.
"Can't feel anything below my stomach." She held the sides of the board as she was lifted onto a bed and orderlies quickly started moving her to the radiology department for the xrays ordered by the doctor.
She had never before felt a complete lack of pain, which her legs were experiencing now. During her long lifetime as a warrior, she knew it like a lover. She relaxed her upper body while mentally willing the nerves below her damaged back to answer the order to wake back up. She laid still while her bed was waiting to be next.
Widened eyes watched the ceiling. She felt the lead vest pad being placed over her chest. Then she opened her other senses to the experience.
She smelled the perfume that a previous patient had been wearing. It was a discount store scent similar to a department store vial. Even a weaker nose could have smelled the heavy application.
She listened to the discussion about her. The male and female techs softly debated the chance of Wolf being paralyzed. The aforementioned commander focused on the sounds of the techs stepping out and the scanner running the xray over her torso and pelvis. She debated the same thoughts with herself.
Feeling a pulse oximeter being placed on her right index finger, Wolf opened her eyes and listened to the lead doctor and a neurologist discussing her planned surgey. They mentioned that it was fortunate that the gunmen had not used hollow point bullets. An operating room would be free for her in about an hour. When the doctors stepped out, the patient allowed herself to doze off.
The clatter of the bed wheels brought her to attention. Looking at the wall clock, she saw that it had been ninety minutes. She patiently waited while a male nurse removed the oximeter so she could be be moved. A familiar orderly then helped to push her bed to the operating room.
After being strapped securely onto the back board, Wolf was transferred then flipped over to lay face-down onto the operating table. She listened as the board was removed. Her uniform was cut off of her body.
She relaxed enough to turn her head to the side, using a thin pillow to keep her cheekbones from aching. She then felt cold hands on her shoulder before a tube was inserted into her mouth and taped to her cheeks. She could taste the gas before being ordered to count backwards from ten. It was five seconds before she lost her ability to use her senses.
Tethys placed clasped hands in front of her as she variably looked between the recovering patient and her daughter, who raised a single hand before commanding the judgment, Tabula Rasa. Setting a hand on Styx, Tethys and the dark titan disappeared into aether.
Once gone, a lesser, but buxom blonde goddess stepped from her hiding spot in the bathroom. Twirling a lock of hair around her right index finger, she frowned for the woman with whom she had been grateful for providing her love glow.
The older ocean titans were vengeful, Aphrodite thought. She let go of her hair and ran a light touch down the muscled forearm of her powerful ally. Having kept so much love alive, Wolfdragon was remitted a past life. She was unconscious when the goddess did what she could.
Flickering hearts fell with her words, "You'll get what you deserve."
With her eyes rapidly blinking, Wolf stretched her fingers and wiped her eyes. She then straightened her arms tightly up in front of her chest. She raised her head when she wanted to see things. She squinted as she looked around to try and figure out what was making the noises that she was hearing. Not knowing that she could actually hear things even outside, she put fingers in her ears to eliminate the sounds.
She stopped when a doctor and nurse walked in. Tilting her head, she looked at the stetheoscope hanging on the doctor's neck. Like a curious child, she watched when the tool was put into the doctor's ears. She flinched when the flat shiny piece was placed against her chest.
When the doctor explained, "Breathe deep, he was only met with a blank stare. He explained, "Still waking from the anesthesia, you will be unaware. You will recover from that with time." He then demonstrated a deep breath, holding Wolf's left hand against his chest.
Hearing, watching and feeling a breath's exhale on her face and the inhale contracting against her hand, Wolf squeezed her eyes closed just a little in thought. She tried to copy the actions. With success, she got a pat on her bicep. "Good. Again." Seeing the smile, the officer breathed deep again and finished with her own.
Wolf finished with a firm slap on his arm. When the nurse saw him wince at that, she calmly and gently touched the stronger woman's hand as she finished the vitals. "Very good," she said in a soothing voice. She smiled at Wolf, who gently patted her hand. "I'll be back later to check on you."
As the pair walked out of the room, the nurse finger-drew a heart on the doctor's back. "She seems to be a fast learner." The doctor nodded before making a note on his case tablet, thinking that therapy should start soon.
Three weeks later, Wolf laid on the the bed and looked at all that she could see. She whispered the words she learned from the staff that talked to each other when they were in there. She wanted to get up and see more. Her attention was drawn to the woman who pushed a wheelchair with stripes into her room. Cocking her head to the side, she looked at the design. "What is that and who are you?"
With a smile, the reply that came was informative to the former officer, who lost her memories. Familiar with the case, the new staff member showed her empty hands before gently patting Wolf's hand. "It is a wheelchair gift from your police station and the stripes indicate the position that you had. Your squad loves their commander."
With a grasp to her forearm, an introduction followed. "My friends call me Eppi because of a tattoo that I have," which she showed when she lifted her sleeve. Pointing at the horse tattoo, she said, "This is Mims Eppi as a pony. He was an energetic horse when racing."
"Am I your friend?" She thought of the horse racing across Eppi's arm. She examined her dark brown hair hanging just below her shoulders.
Eppi's tone became business-like as she pulled her sleeve back down and continued, "I will be your therapist and I will educate and teach you through therapy. First, let's first go for a ride with the Commander."
Wolf watched as Eppi locked the chair brakes. She saw her reach and check something on her leg. She then lifted her upper body to sit. She reached down to rotate her paralyzed legs off the bed, being careful with her catheter. A strong fabric band was tied around her waist before the therapist lifted the patient's arms up to her shoulders. Strong arms lifted Wolf in a firm cradle hold before setting her gently onto the chair.
"Are you strong?"
Eppi gently laughed before hiding a grin with a wiping hand. "Dr. Peters says that you're stronger."
Remembering the kind doctor, Wolf looked at her hand and turned her head to see Eppi. "Did I hurt you, too?"
The therapist thought of Wolf's grip on her shoulders. "Not really, but I'm a little bit tougher."
Wolf rembered the wince that she saw on the doctor's face and the smaller one on the therapist's face. "I won't be so strong with you."
Watching the patient's hands feel the moving tires gently, Eppi was ready to react when those hands tightened and suddenly stopped the tires. Wolf's eyes had been gazing at the walls and doors, until a picture pleased her so much that she had to stop to look at it.
Her eyes softened as she smiled at the picture of a big black horse. "I think I love that."
The therapist thought the patient had been learning words and how to talk from watching TV. "Do you remember having horses before?"
She lingered a few seconds longer on the picture before releasing the wheels. No thoughts flashed any memories. "I don't know, but that one is as pretty as the picture you have on your arm."
Stealing a second to rub her right forearm, making sure her uniform was covering the tattoo, Eppi smiled and wheeled her patient away from the picture. "I've heard yours are pretty, too."
After a second of thought, Wolf replied, "Thank you."
"Let's start your therapy. I know your upper body is strong enough to do most of it, so we'll start with breathing and meditation to see if you can relax enough to work the rest." Getting into another wheelchair, the therapist wheeled over to a padded table. She smiled when Wolf watched her closely. She displayed the procedure to transfer onto it. Reaching up to a hanging grab bar, she pulled herself up to get her backside down. Without using her legs, Eppi used her arms to shift her upper body and hands to lift and place her legs on the padding. After reversing the procedure, she lowered herself back to the chair.
The therapist smiled when her patient grinned and said, "Good job."
She then indicated with a wave to the table after wheeling away.
Wolf had begun to play with her wheelchair to get familiar with it. When Eppi verbally announced that it was her turn, the patient wheeled over to where the therapist had been. She looked up at the grab bar, but no matter how hard she tried to reach, her fingertips barely brushed it.
With a fortitude born of her natural instinct not erased by Styx, she leaned to one side so she could use a chair armrest to boost herself up high enough to wrap her hand around the bar and pull her body up.
Following the example, she pushed her weight up until her legs caught the table. Closing her eyes, she pictured it, wrapping her hands around each knee and lifted her legs up onto the padding.
"Good job, Wolf." Eppi gently patted her hand. "Next, I want you to push up to sit." The therapist placed her fists flat and demonstrated.
Her breath stilled when Wolf reached out to feel rigid biceps. "Good," the patient said and pushed up to sit.
"Now, reach up to the bar just to measure it."
Trying to understand the instruction, Wolf looked up at the bar, but did not reach until the therapist put her own hand on the cool bar. Once again, the patient's arm was too short when reached up. She did not try anything else when the therapist raised one finger with two commands, wait and relax.
Turning her head as far as she could, Wolf saw what the therapist was doing. Her actions made a clicking sound and the patient's eyes quickly followed the cable to the grab bar, which she watched being lowered. She waited until the therapist patted her shoulder and instructed her to continue her previous instruction.
Wolf naturally reached up and pulled herself completely up into a sitting position.
The therapist saw a spot of blood on the patient's grey top. She made a note to herself to notify the doctor. Calmly, she finished the therapy session. "We need to go back to your room and talk to your doctor."
Eager to please the other woman, Wolf smoothly reached up to the bar, lifted her dysfunctional backside and reset herself so she could reach down and lift her legs off the padding. Remembering the earlier lesson, she used her arms to adjust her torso. Once aligned, she reached over to grab the chair and leaned forward to leverage onto the seat. She smiled big when Eppi patted her shoulder. To herself, she congratulated, "Good job."
Resisting the urge to cheer loud, the therapist simply bit her lower lip and waved at Wolf to follow her.
Wolf followed the therapist, talking about the pictures on the wall and other things like vases, decorations and the occasional views of vegetation outside, learning what they were called and softly practicing how to say them.
She watched people and how they acted alone and with others, loved ones and families. Her curiosity drew the conclusion that nobody acted completely the same.
"I need to get your doctor. You can get in bed, but lay down on your stomach."
Seeing how the therapist circled her hand in front of her body, Wolf looked at her bed and thought of how she would do that. Once the Therapist was close, she pulled up flat to the bed. Using her arms and upper back, she pushed her paralyzed lower body to the edge of the chair and then relaxed while Eppi unwrapped and removed her support band.
While her arms we're lowered by the shorter woman's body, she heard the catch in the patient's breath and felt the soft touch of fingers on her hands. "I'm going to pull up. Can you please lift my legs?"
"Of course." Eppi watched as Wolf, with powerful hands, grabbed the semi-firm mattress and pulled her upper body up onto the bed. She waited until the therapist could move the wheelchair out of the way and quickly, but gently lifted the patient's legs and rotated her body until she was comfortable, face-down. The blood spot had grown a bit bigger. "Getting your doctor now."
"Thank you, Eppi."
"You're welcome, Wolf." The therapist reached down and patted the commander's backside. "Good job."
Wolf turned her head so she could watch the therapist leave the room, but came back shortly with the doctor. She listened to what they were saying.
The therapist made sure she had Dr. Peters' attention. "Ms. Armaugh's stitches are bleeding."
The doctor started opening the back of Wolf's hospital gown to see how much damage occurred. He nodded at the therapist who moved to make room for Peters' nurse. The nurse finished a quick vitals check before handing the doctor some liquid sealer for the pulled stitches.
She smiled when she realized that Eppi's eyes were focused a bit lower than the gunshot wound. Although numb with paralysis, the officer's backside was an appealing handful of muscle. She softly snorted with humor when the therapist turned away and buried her hands into her uniform's pockets.
The two of them met later over lunch. Eppi set her plate down and pulled her sleeves up as she sat. Glancing at her mate, she smiled and shook her head. "Reggie, the new color looks good on you," she complemented the medium-tone blonde to which the nurse colored her naturally brown hair.
"Thought Jeff would like it."
Taking a small bite from her BLT, Eppi smirked and shook her head. "He would be dumb if he wasn't in love with you, no matter the color, Reggie."
Reaching across the small table, Regina snagged a French fry from her friend's plate. "Earlier, you seemed enraptured. You need to do a better job of hiding where your eyes travel." Tapping a few fingers on the table surface, she continued. "I saw you devouring the cop's ass. It is unethical."
"I know. She's a patient, but there is something about her." Eppi set her sandwich down before throwing her wide-opened hands into the air. "Why didn't I meet her in Chicago before I moved to San Fran?"
"She didn't live in Chicago."
She took a large bite and finished her sandwich. As she slowly chewed, Eppi thought of her unfortunate circumstances. She finished and pushed the fries to Reggie after keeping a few. "I can't force my patients' bodies to do what they can't and I cannot force my body to not do what happens naturally. If my heart is forced to stop thinking of her, I would die."
Regina covered her mouth as she loudly erupted in laughter. When the sounds slowly softened, she took another fry. "You are such a Shakespearean romantic."
After finishing her lunch, Eppi wiped her hands then rubbed her eyes. She sipped her carbonated soda, thinking of a good reason for what she was feeling for Wolf.
She had settled in California almost a year ago after her old friend Regina Foley invited her to relocate from Chicago after a bad breakup. They had met at a medical conference years before, but maintained communications across half the country via phone, email and device apps. Knowing her as well as she did, Eppi trusted Reggie's advice, but some things were irresistible.
She had to check her patient before she left the hospital.
She was as quiet as possible, but a voice called to her. Bowing her head for getting busted, Eppi stepped into the room. She heard that the TV was on. Smiling at Wolf, she asked, "What are you watching?"
"A documentary about fighting and how it changed over time."
Eppi's eyes widened "You *are* learning from the TV."
"Only because I've been alone here. I've watched it three times. I miss talking to you." She shrugged before sipping from her plastic cup of water.
"I'll talk to Dr. Peters about when we can start therapy again. I will see you tomorrow."
When Wolf started scratching her chest, she promised, "I'll bring some lotion to help you with that. So, good night, Wolf. Sleep well."
Wolf waved goodbye and softly smiled at the therapist right before she turned to leave the room. "Good night, Eppi."
Although she quickly left work, Eppi sat in her car with her forehead pressed against the steering wheel. She wondered if Reggie was free to talk with her about her new unavoidable crush, ethical or not.
Wolf looked away from the morning TV news when she heard the knock on her door. She smiled at Brady, who stepped in with a box in her arms. It seemed heavy, as it swayed on her forearms.
"What is that?" She pointed to the sitting chair on the right side of her bed.
"I'm sorry, Commander Armaugh, but Audrey thought you might like to read these, but I told her that you might not know how to read the old languages. So, after she finishes with work, she'll come see you and read with you at 1."
Wolf remembered when the nurse mentioned the officer, named Brady, and the blonde girl kissing in the hall. Brady talked fondly about Audrey, so she must be the other woman, Wolf thought.
"Please tell her thank you for me. I should be free."
"Are you getting bored here?" Brady slowly absorbed the atmosphere of the lonely room.
The former shadow of a smile brightly erupted and Wolf shook her head. "Not at all. My therapist keeps me active, and here she is."
Brady bowed her head and glanced at the other woman's name tag. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Anunit."
Eppi held up a hand. She corrected the police officer. "Miss, please. I am not married."
Wolf's left brow lifted in curiosity. She looked at the clock on the wall and put her palm out to Brady. "Thank you so much and have a safe day at work. I can't wait to see Audrey."
Brady shook her commander's hand. "Yes, Ma'am. And it was nice to meet you, Miss." Bowing her head to both, Brady left to go to work. She smiled at the virtual push out the door.
Eppi pulled her eyes away from Wolf and saw the box of books. When she failed to hide that curiosity, Wolf reached over and pulled the top one onto her lap. Opening it, she saw that nothing was familiar and would need Audrey's help. Although she was unaware of the information, she waved Eppi closer so she could show it to her.
"Brady said these were mine, that I wrote them, but I don't remember them." Focusing on the neat, artistic writing, her fingers continued to follow their flow of ink. It was as if she was mimicking the writing of unknown words.
Eppi was mesmerized by the fingers. "Looks like a journal." What had been said earlier triggered her. "Audrey?"
Hearing the changed tone in Eppi's voice, Wolf raised a hand to join the shrugging of her shoulder. I don't know, but I will definitely tell you. I will share everything with you."
The lazy smile that accompanied that promise had Eppi mentally smacking the thought from her head. She doubted that Wolf was meaning to flirt with her.
Clearing her throat, Eppi got back to her job. She pulled the wheelchair closer to the bed, helped Wolf sit up so she could check to see if the bleeding had completely stopped, she closed the gown and wrapped a band around her above the stitches.
A few minutes later, the therapist and patient started their way to go outside. It was a pleasant, dry day and the bright sun began to warm them.
When Wolf started scratching again, Eppi remembered the lotion that she had brought from home for the patient. "I brought some Shae butter for your skin. I'll give it to you when we get back to your room." She watched the patient who stopped and repeatedly tried to bend at her waist and sit back up without using her arm strength.
Thinking that she was trying to reach for a fallen branch that looked like an arrow, the therapist stifled a laugh and instead bent over to pick it up. She handed it to Wolf, asking, "Still watching your war weapons shows?"
Wolf shook her head but did stroke the smooth branch in thought. "No. I started watching videos about doctor studies and I want to talk to Dr. Bonner about one that made me wonder." She then began her bending again, counting her repetitions in a whisper that Eppi could barely hear.
The therapist, recognizing the self-care therapy and showing an approval, she slowly rubbed Wolf's back, praising, "Great job."
"Not good?"
"Even better I think. You seem to learn well from your new videos. If you keep it up, I might be off your case soon."
Wolf was about to start another repetition, but stopped, thinking of losing her daily visit from Eppi. She reached down and gripped her brakes, thinking that not bending over was better if it meant she could see the therapist. She stopped all thoughts when she felt the light fingers circling on her back. Her breath caught. She slowly closed her eyes and pushed up from her brakes to sit.
"I don't want to talk to Dr. Bonner now." Unlocking her brakes, she opened her eyes as she rotated, facing the therapist. Wolf's features harden with dispensation as she looked hard into Eppi's eyes. "I don't want to lose you."
The therapist looked up into the bare tree limbs, fighting the urge to either cry or hug Wolf. Neither was a wise choice. "Dr. Peters said your therapy can start back up tomorrow, but let's get back to your room now because Audrey will be here soon."
Wolf was wanting to learn about her books. "I'm ready to start everything." She stopped moving for a moment and asked the therapist, "Do you have a real name that not friend people call you?"
Eppi shook her head with embarrassment. "My parents named me Ishtar. Not sure why, I think maybe they were just stoned all the time or big fans of the Beatles in the Yellow Submarine years."
"But it does make sense, maybe. During that war story, they mentioned the Assyrian goddess Anunit, who was linked to a star named Ishtar." Wolf looked at Eppi with a grin. "She was the goddess of love, fertility and war. I bet it was rough, dating her."
Wanting to avoid any conversations like that, Eppi looked at her silver watch to see what the time was. "I think I heard Officer Carver say that Audrey would be here at 1:00. Better get going."
"Thank you, Miss Anunit." She laughed as she ducked her head to avoid the other woman's hand. "You are lucky that I like you so much."
Eppi raised the swung hand to hide the smile and lip-biting. "I like you, too." She trotted ahead and pressed the handicap plate that opened the door. She stepped aside to let Wolf enter, who then waited for her therapist to join her. They walked together until Eppi stopped Wolf, cupping her shoulder.
"I just need to get something and then we can talk about your therapy in your room until Audrey gets there."
Wolf was waiting for just a few seconds until Eppi joined her. The walk to her room was five minutes. Once in there, Wolf transferred onto her bed and waited for Eppi to show her what she had in her hand. "This is the Shae butter lotion. I always use it on my tattoo."
Smiling, the patient quickly removed her gown. "Your Mims Eppi is prettier, she said as she spread her arms to show the art that she wore.
"More than what I heard." Eppi avoided looking at Wolf's disrobed upper body. She gave the bottle of lotion to Wolf, who tried to figure it out.
Wanting more time, Wolf gave the bottle back. "Show me, please."
Sure that she was being watched, Eppi opened the bottle lid. After a second of thought, she squeezed quite a bit into her hand. She smiled at the dragon and tiger, both wrapped around a breast and began to lightly spread the lotion over the areas. Once finished, she moved to the characters between them, then two under the left and the other four below the right. As she was looking at them, she asked Wolf what they meant. She winced at the large scar above the right breast.
An unknown voice answered. "Commander Wolf explained them one drunken night. She came over to my apartment to talk with my girlfriend. Brady knew about them. She had seen them during a shower after cop training."
She paused and began explaining them. "The two big ones, she got in China many years ago. The two on the left below the dragon are Greek 'Queen' and 'Consort'. The four below the tiger are also Greek. Those are her daughters, 'Zasha', 'Peran', 'Larin', and 'Eponin'."
Eppi smiled in appreciation that Audrey was here. "And this one?" she asked pointing to the center of Wolf's chest.
Audrey smiled as she reached out and spread the extra lotion over it. "That is Gaelic and says 'My Beloved', her partner who gave birth to their twins. Not sure of her name because Wolf never called her by name. I don't think she ever truly recovered from that loss."
Seeing that there was still again lotion to be spread, she told both women, "I'll guard your privacy while you finish."
Nodding, Eppi quietly thanked her. Once they were alone, Wolf began to rub the lotion into the love of which she had no memories. She looked up and watched Eppi's eyes as that woman began rubbing then slightly massaging the lion and tiger. Once all of her chest and stomach were done, Wolf reached up and caught Eppi's hands. She felt as if she was gliding in the soft brown eyes across from her.
"Am I your friend now," she asked.
As soon as the positive answer was delivered, "Yes," Wolf easily pulled her closer. She was more than ready for the slow kiss that moistened her lips.
When longer fingers traced her cheekbones, she slightly backed away and called for Audrey. She stole another kiss as Eppi helped her to cover her body back up.
"Ready to read your journals? The librarian in me has been thinking of reading these for a few days now."
With a strong nod, Wolf pointed at the box and asked her and Eppi to put it on the floor so Audrey could sit next to her. Once it was on the floor Eppi switched back to being professional. "I'll see you tomorrow for therapy. Have a good evening. It was nice to meet you, Audrey."
Audrey opened the first book and looked at the first paragraph then turned the page and studied the text on the next. Turning it back again, she sat closer to Wolf and pointed at the first paragraph, getting her attention. This language is different than the rest, which I know is Greek. Grabbing her smart phone, she photographed the paragraph. A favorite app not only identified the language, but also roughly translated it.
Amazed by what she saw, Audrey quickly scooted out from under the book and off the bed. Looking at her phone again, she pointed at the book and explained her reaction. "Wolf, you did write that. The first paragraph, which seems to have been added later in the top margin, says:
'I am named Sorcha Aednat d'Arcy, by the Gael family that found me and began to raise me in the years before the Viking invasions that drove them into hiding. I was known with love as the little dark fire. I loved them, but my life changed many times. I became known as Wolf by Xena, the Thracian Warrior that started me on a very long journey. After the world lost both the Amazon Queen and her wife, I began using the name Wolf of Armaugh.
Consider this as a bound scroll, starting my history of love for the Amazons' Royal Family and for my proud and steadfast servitude to their patron goddess Artemis. The writing of this history started when the Amazon child named Otera was blessed in Ayiasos.
I did not use Gaelic for this history, for my Queen Gabrielle, who loved to read what I said of my thoughts, the Greek language was easier for her.'
469 19 December
Audrey sat lower on the bed so she could turn and look at Wolf with wide, bright eyes. "When you said that you age well, exaggeration is the honest truth. For as long as Brady and I have known you, you have always told the truth. Obviously not one hundred percent of everything, but of what you chose to share with us, you were always honest."
Reaching down, the librarian grabbed another book and began to scan through it. There was cover to cover, a Greek language, telling Wolf's life of experience and history. The book was suddenly closed to protect the ink from falling tears, which Audrey tried to quickly wipe away. Sight was difficult, so she just collapsed onto Wolf's legs and cried. She wept for the loss of those memories that must have been valuable enough to be recorded.
Unsure of the reason why the rush of emotion, Wolf just thought of the TV shows that she watched sometimes. She closed her book and simply reached down to softly run her fingers through Audrey's hair. Wolf's voice sounded like a child. "Why are you crying?"
When she saw Brady coming in, Wolf just quietly waved her in to help comfort the other woman. They seemed to be bonded.
Brady rushed to Audrey and helped her up so she could pull her into comforting arms. "What's wrong sweetheart?"
Audrey waved a hand behind Brady's back, trying to catch enough breath. "Wolf wrote all of those journals." Taking a handful of tissue and wiping her face, she took a deep breath, thinking of when the Vikings began invading south. "Over 2,000 years of history and love. All forgotten."
The reality hit Brady numbly. She trusted her former commander. "Can you teach her how to read it so she can remember?"
"I will try the best I can."
Brady studied her commander. "Are you going to live forever?"
Wolf shrugged, but became distracted when she remembered the results of Audrey looking at the phone. "If I can be taught your phone, I can use my time to learn the history on my own, so you can work."
The librarian considered the given option. She scratched her temple before hugging Wolf. "I will back tomorrow after getting another phone so we can both have one. I will teach you about this," she assured her. She raised and waved the smart phone that can translate and train Wolf how to read Greek. "I'll be back at 1:00."
Wolf nodded and closed the book she was holding and set it back to the side of the bed after Audrey replaced hers, too. "Thank you, Audrey."
After kissing her cheek and a hugging her tight, Audrey waved goodbye. "Tomorrow."
The following visit with Audrey went well. It was even better when she used what Audrey called a cheat sheet, which worked well with children at the library. As Wolf began to learn her story, she was able to use the translation app to start learning Greek while reading her journals. Without videos, it took a little longer than she first thought. Therapy did use some of her time, but that was a necessity greatly appreciated. Every second spent with Eppi was a gift for Wolf. Thinking of, she set her book aside and transferred into her chair. As she waited, Wolf rubbed her eyes. Between the books and the phone, her eyes were a little tired.
She quickly opened her eyes when she smelled Eppi.
The therapist waved a bottle of Shae butter lotion then quickly set it on the bedside table before Wolf removed her gown. "I got this for you. You can put it on any time."
Wolf blinked while looking at it. "I really liked the last time, but thank you."
Eppi looked at her case notes as she unsuccessfully tried to forget the last time. "Today is therapy like we did before. Reading Dr. Peters' progress notes," she put her hands down, "your stitches should be okay, so let's go."
Wolf unlocked her brakes and began to follow her therapist, who slowed so she could walk next to her patient once they got to the hall. Eppi fought the urge to touch Wolf for any reason. She folded her arms in front of the case file that she was holding. "So, Wolf, I heard Nurse Regina tell Dr. Peters that you were trying to read your books. How is it going?"
Wolf looked up at the therapist and spared a second to raise her hands opened wide. "Not as fast as the warfare." Then she continued her progress wheeling.
"Some people learn faster when they look and watch."
"I think I might, but watching then doing is easiest for me." Wolf thought of her limited experience. "Watching, touching, thinking about how to do it."
"With all of your senses, I think you are just smart." Eppi smiled as she walked ahead to open the door to the therapy room. Once Wolf was in the room, she let go of the door. The therapist watched it slowly close. With every second, she gave herself a mental pep talk. When the door clicked closed, she pressed a hand against her chest and took a deep breath. She raised her eyes as she exhaled, thinking, 'Be Good'.
Wolf had already transfered onto the padding and waited as she watched Eppi.
Surprised by her patient's progress, she set the case folder on the work table next to the therapy bed. She began talking about the exercises for today. "Since you've already started working on your abdomen, we will continue, but right here." She walked to the patient's feet and straightened her legs. Feeling her catheter on the left leg, she was careful.
With a little weight on Wolf's knees, she instructed the patient to lay her arms flat on her back and try to move her upper body up into a sitting position. Seeing that she could do one with just a little effort, the therapist told her to slowly try five sets of five.
Wolf closed her eyes and slowly counted as she repeatedly sat up. When she did five, she stopped and opened her eyes to see the plastic bottle of water that Eppi was handing her. Squeezing the lid, she rotated it open and took a drink. "Thank you."
"Where did you learn to count?"
"1 sitsa upa 2 sitsa upa." Wolf grinned. "Count Dracula on Sesame Street."
Eppi just shook her head. "Two minutes between sets."
When there was weight on her legs again, she set her hands onto her legs and closed her eyes. She softly counted the second set. After that one, she took another drink and started watching the digital clock across the room. After two minutes, she took her position and started another set.
Unlike the previous two sets, she opened her eyes on the third sit up. Caught, Eppi blushed when she had been seen staring at Wolf hungrily. Unaware of a response, Wolf only smiled. "I look at you, too."
The therapist waited until the third set was done then she stood up and went over to the exercise equipment. Setting the west back elliptical to its lowest setting, she returned to Wolf. "Let's try this, to see how you respond."
Remembering the routine, Wolf pushed herself up, reached up to the grab bar, rearranged herself to lift her legs off the padding and leveraged into her chair. She wheeled over to the equipment and waited for instruction. When she was seated correctly, she took a deep breath and tried.
Seeing how much more difficult it was, Eppi put up a hand up to stop then set it lightly onto Wolf's shoulder. "We'll stick with sit ups for now. She helped the patient transfer back into her chair.
When she went to stand back up, strong arms wrapped her into a hug and heated breath warmed her neck. "I'm sorry. Sit ups are fun."
Eppi was on the verge of saying, 'That's OK, baby,' but she managed to slowly push away and turn with her clenched fists pressed into her stomach. She stood still until her heart and breathing calmed. Her attention went back to her patient, who was sitting at the glass door and looking at the flowered shrubs.
Eppi went over to her and kneeled so she could see what Wolf saw from her lower vantage point. Seeing a gecho racing over a garden brick, the therapist pointed at it. Wolf pointed, too, at a robin taking a position to suddenly dive at the gecho.
Eppi set her hand on Wolf's knee. She patted it then agreed that sit ups were fun, too. The couple returned to the exercise pad and prepared for more sets. On the fourth set, Wolf cocked her head to listen. Unexpectedly, she sat up further than usual to slightly kiss Eppi's lips. The therapist enjoyed the effort put into it. She lightly squeezed Wolf's knees and leaned a little forward on her side. When Wolf completed the second sit up, Eppi kissed her. The former officer took a deep breath to easily lay back down. She counted another when sitting up. She gave Eppi another kiss, deeper and slow.
The therapist tapped her fingers on Wolf's legs. She was ready for the next one, but not for the end result of being securely hugged and pulled down. Eppi relaxed her legs and let her body gently collapse onto the eager woman. Her mental fight to resist failed against Wolf's successful love performance.
Their lips met repeatedly. With a session of heavy breathing, Eppi reached down to pull Wolf's legs apart. She naturally began to grind against her thigh. She instantly stopped when Wolf expressed a sound of pleasure. She looked down and realized that her left leg had been rubbing between the other woman's legs. "You felt that, didn't you?"
Wolf pulled her down for another kiss. "Yes. It was surprisingly nice." As Eppi was trying to get up, the officer urgently whispered, "Cock block." She wiped her lips and watched to see Nurse Foley coming in.
Reggie shook her head when she saw that both women were flushed. "I interrupted, didn't I?"
"We were doing sit ups. I had just finished my fourth set of five."
The therapist pulled the nurse to the side. "I want to suggest an NCV for Ms. Armaugh. While she was exercising, she had a muscle response."
Reggie's brow raised. "Must have been a good exercise."
Eppi lowered her head with a small glower. "It was a sit up."
Reggie raised a hand. "Just give us the official order and Dr. Bonner will get to it."
"Thank you." Eppi was grateful with a smile. She turned to Wolf and said, "That was good therapy today, but you can go back to your books. I'll see you tomorrow."
Wolf was thinking quietly as Eppi walked beside her then stopped when they got to the door. "You have a good night. I will get that order in to verify where your nerves and muscles are working right."
Remembering the reason for the order, Wolf smiled with her fingers pressed to her lips. It was like a tickle of lightning between her legs. "Think of me, as I will be of you."
Back in her room, Wolf closed her door. She transferred onto the bed and began to apply some of the lotion on her tattoos. All done, she wiped off her hands and reached over to get her next journal.
Expecting more reading, she was warmly surprised by drawings. She saw a rough drawing of her and 'Pony'. As written in the initial book. Pony had been her first wife. Wolf pressed her fingers against Pony's lips. She had lost her in a battle against a warlord banked by the god Ares. She imagined touching her and the image of the picture and her reality blended.
The next picture was well done. It was an image of her with the twins that Pony gave birth to. They were sitting on her lap, kissing her cheeks. The child that looked serious, even during the kiss, was holding Wolf's long, thick braid. She caressed her daughters.
When she turned the page, she saw a moment in her life. The happiness found after her wife died was with Gabrielle and Xena. The image drawn said 'Wedding', of when all three of them were holding hands. She was posing with the two women, surrounded by older children, listed as Larin, Eponin, Zasha and Peran. The Image was of her and her family.
The next was a dual image. The top half was a large black horse, named 'Beast'. The lower was her mounted upon Beast. Seeing it actually put an ominous image of her, with her twin swords drawn, attached to what she had written of her. All the time after reading that, she thought that she was exaggerating. The drawings painted her to be true.
When she caught a scent, she held her book open on her lap and watched. It wasn't long before her door opened then closed. She smiled warmly when she saw Eppi. She waved her over. "I lotioned up. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Did I interrupt your reading?"
Wolf shook her head. "Come here. I was looking at pictures."
Eppi was about to, but pointed at Wolf's open top. "Please close that."
Wolf quickly did as she was told. "What you asked about me and horses, I did have at least one."
She pointed at the empty seat that she had requested. Once Eppi sat, Wolf handed her the opened book.
"Wow. This makes Mims Eppi look so small. Beast?"
Wolf pointed at the lower drawing. "But he was not a racehorse and I really am short. I have good senses, though."
Eppi turned the page back to the wedding. She tried not to laugh. "Cosplay?"
Wolf shook her head. She remembered what she had written about them. "No. That was a real wedding. I was married to this beautiful couple. They brought me back after my mourning of Eponin. We had a good marriage.
They died peacefully together. Their family, three generations of Amazons, and myself, kept watch over their cremations. With Xena's request, I delivered half of her ashes to her family's mausoleum in Amphipolis, Thrace in Greece. The other half were joined with Queen Gabrielle's in her urn." Wolf's fingers brushed over her family.
"There was a great granddaughter who named her daughter Hippolyta. She was remembered as the mythological Amazon Princess. She descended from Larin, the goddess-created child from Xena and Gabrielle's combined genes." She pointed at a young woman that looked just like her mother.
Wolf used her gown to dry her eyes. "We built their pyres with the most pristine wood and wrapped them in pure cotton."
Eppi, feeling the pain and love in Wolf's voice, turned all the way back to the first picture. "Well, this explains a lot." She lifted Wolf's face so she could see her reaction. "Why did you draw a picture of me?"
Wolf held the book up to compare the picture to reality. The former officer looked up higher. "This does explain a lot. I must have forgotten her face."
Eppi's brow wrinkled. "Who is she?"
"She was my first wife, Eponin, whose death terribly hurt me, by the way that I wrote about it." Wolf traced the drawing again. She asked, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"
"Not really." Eppi watched as Wolf stroked the tattoo on the middle of her chest.
"I do." Wolf closed her picture book. Thinking of the beginning, she handed the therapist the first journal. "That's not the only thing. I believe in love, too."
She showed Eppi the phone app that helped her learn Greek. She gave her the first journal and the phone. "I know that you might not want to believe, but this is true. It explains everything. You can have it for however long it takes you."
Eppi handed the phone back. "You will need this."
"Not any more. I've learned Greek. I can keep reading without it." She found the next journal to read.
Eppi looked at the book and pocketed the phone. Her gaze soaked up Wolf's expression while looking at her. She had to leave her with a long kiss. "I will dream of our next session."
As the therapist left and closed the door, Wolf whispered, "I still love you, Eponin."
Eppi passed the sign again, as she did every day. It was not bright or guaranteed positive results. It only promised a good reading. She had thought of stopping by over a month ago. Her drought of relationships had urged her to go. She had her donation ready.
Entering the clapboard house, she tried to be casual, looking around. She sat to relax instead. A woman with long blonde curls stepped into the waiting area. She pointed to Eppi's seat and pushed her money jar to the side of the table.
"I can read your cards if you would like." She lowered a box from the shelf above her. From within, she extracted a wrapped deck of tarot cards. She unwrapped the cloth from the cards, which she set between them. "Just separate this into five sets with thoughts of what you are looking for. Pull the top two cards of each one and set them aside. Once done, put the remaining stacks on top of each other in any order with thoughts of your wants and needs."
Thinking as she followed instructions, she dropped her money into the jar.
The woman moved her jar to the shelf then began arranging the cards on the table.
Her face became serious as she flipped them to read them. "This is your past, so long is your lifeline." She then reached for Eppi's hand. She spread the palm to look at the lines. "And your lifeline seems to be two different lives in different times." She set a finger on each of the next two cards. "This is your youth, always fighting in an attempt to win. A time when you fell hard and painfully, but there was time of great pain healed with love. You suffered when that love wept over a loss so great."
The tarot reader began taking the first three cards from the pile. She flipped them over, one by one. On the first,she said, "This is you today, struggling with your challenges, of work, life or love."
On the second she said, "You want to believe, but you do not believe in things not seen. You no longer trust your heart after a recent unfortunate endeavor. Meditate and soul search your existing circumstances."
The third one had the reader put her hand firmly down. "This is your now. You know what you want. It might need a sacrifice, but it affects more than you. Just do it. You know that it is real and right."
The tarot reader escorted Eppi to the door and said goodbye with a spiral wave. She entered the clapboard and clapped her hands. She always sensed her. "That felt good."
"Aphrodite, we can only hope that your performance opens her eyes. She was one of my Amazons."
"Sis, I won this couple a long time ago. She was the original love for Wolf."
"She loved my Chosen after." Artemis crossed her arms with a haughty display.
"And that was a love that blew Tartarus from me." Aphrodite fanned the blush off her face.
Wolf was sitting in the main hallway, looking out of the window to see a bit of time's grass grown. She did feel sorry for the gecho. It was last seen swallowed with its tail hanging out of the bird's beak. Wolf understood that patience was sometimes the winning side.
She had checked out of rehab a month before, when Eppi left. She was there now for a follow-up appointment.
Listening to a verbal dispute down the hall, her hands tightened on the commander. Just in case, she wheeled to sit beside some flags. She checked the one next to her. Knowing that her body was on schedule, she had no thought of the bathroom. She was ready for the dispute getting louder and closer. A one last check verified that the flag next to her was free.
She watched for the smallest muscle twitch that would be a warning. Instead of needing her response, she saw Officer Carver. Tall, straight-backed and strong, she caught a fist aimed at an old man. Her partner cuffed him and walked him out.
Brady grinned at Wolf still grasping the flag. "Stand down, officer." She pulled the old commander into a gentle headlock. "I know where mine is, but where is your girlfriend?"
Eppi slipped through the sliding door. She shook her head and stood next to Wolf, holding the flag free of its base.
Wolf automatically said, "Hold it horizontally so you can adjust it to any attack." The therapist nodded as she took the flag and put it back on the base.
Nurse Foley hugged Eppi, for it had been a long time since seeing her. She looked at an identifying pin on her friend's shoulder. "You quit here, right?"
Eppi held her hands up. "I liked it here, but I found something better with an incredible benefits plan."
Regina stood next to her and smiled. "The sex is good?"
"It's another therapy job up in Seattle and a good woman doesn't kiss and share the news."
She bent down to deliver a deep kiss to Wolf. Laughter rebounded among the small group.
The retired officer licked some ChapStick off her lips as she said to Eppi, "If you haven't heard the results, I was able to feel a little below the wound. Dr. Bonner classified it as incomplete."
"Did he mention the Epothilone?"
Clasping Eppi's hand, Wolf replied, "He did, but like most things not easily seen, it's not a one hundred percent chance that I will regain function. I got the subscription, though."
Eppi kneeled and placed a hand on Wolf's knee. "I've got your new van. Now we can go to Strawberry Hill tonight to see if your theory works." She got a strong hug.
The couple waved goodbye with promises to keep in touch.
Sitting outside, Wolf looked up to see the sun fading low. She watched how Eppi opened the handicap door and lift. Once inside, Wolf transferred into the passenger's seat. She listened as Eppi secured her chair behind her seat.
After fastening her seatbelt, she saw the therapist become familiar again with the hand control. Eppi gave her a long kiss as she started the van. "I will ride you tonight, but you will start learning to drive tomorrow."
Wolf nodded her head as she bit her bottom lip. "I certainly hope so, to both."
Thinking about the second journal that she had read, she asked Wolf, "Did we really fall hard in love because of a net?"
"I fell for you even before that."
"Well, it's a good thing that you learned how to woo before you taught Brady."
Arriving at the peaceful park, Wolf opened her senses to verify that no one was out there. She got herself free to transfer into her chair as soon as Eppi opened it for her. They were free to go outside. Wolf wheeled on the sidewalk to a spot where Eppi could sit on a bench. Seeing that her love had a blanket, she raised a hand. "I just need to meditate to gather my energies."
Eppi watched Wolf lower her head and control her breathing. According to her history, it had been two thousand years since she did change and she had never asked Artemis if she got it back. Wolf sat quietly for about ten minutes.
Eppi saw the darkness lift and she felt the wind on her face. That was enough evidence for her. She was silent when the dragon quietly sat in front of her a while later. Her hand was slow and gentle upon its snout. She watched with amazement as the dragon flew above the wheelchair and converted while in air. Wolf descended safely into her seat.
Tethys set an arm around her taller daughter's waist. "You know that she killed her father with that dragon and he was more powerful than any Titan."
Styx glowered with her nod. "I'll let her be for now. She and her knowledge will eventually die."
"Let's go to Tartarus and gather a few things. Aphrodite sent out an invitation for a wine tasting on Mount Olympus." Then both women dissolved into aether.
Wolf enjoyed the flying, but she wanted more to be with her wife. "Want to see my little hut of an apartment?"
"I'll give you an 8 on that wooing."
Wolf kissed the hand on her shoulder. "I did make the bed."
"Did that shifting hurt your new tattoo?"
Wolf gently patted her thigh. "Beast feels all good. I did schedule an appointment for my old ones to be refreshed." She softly wiped her left leg from knee to groin. Her new tattoo was much larger than her lover's Mims Eppi. Beast was as long as her thigh, nose close to her hip. Brady had taken her to get it done two weeks ago. "It's wrapped now."
"It probably needs lotion when we get to your place." Eppi's sweet smile was met with a playful one.
"My place." Wolf took a deep breath. "I can't wait to get our place in Seattle."
Eppi thought about recent properties that she saw and fell into their pay range. "Baby, I do believe that we'll be suburbing it."
"Sounds like a happening place for a wedding." Wolf pulled a ring from her right hand. "As soon as," she said. "Miss Ishtar Anunit, my mortal goddess, would you like to marry me?"
Eppi barely sat on Wolf's lap and kissed her deep. Without a thought, she smiled. "Yes."
The Final End
Please leave feed-back . Email ztami@hotmail.com
_________________________________________________________________________
Postscript
I want to put a very humble thank you out there. I enjoyed writing Wolf and her time with the Amazons.
I obviously changed their ending. I did not like the ending of the show, but I understood why. Xena having to do what she did with Yodoshi and Gabrielle becoming the warrior that she wanted to be since meeting Xena. So bittersweet. That was how TPTB saw the ending, but I am selfish and thought that their love deserved a long, happy life.